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Author
Topic: Help to produce Bowel Movements? (Read 4158 times)

I read often here about people suffering from diarrhea and do so with some envy as it has been YEARS since I have had a normal one! What I wouldn't give to have even explosive diarrhea....I am on a heavy duty dosage of pain meds both Oxys and Hydrocodone and am happy that they relieve the intense pain I have been suffering from for years now. The only trade out is that I am totally unable to go to the bathroom at all. I could go for up to 10 days with my gut sticking out from being packed and *might* be able to squeeze out a small amount but that is about the extent of it.So what I have been doing to get relief is to do enemas 3 or 4 times a week, usually every other day actually. As much as I hate doing this and as unhealthy as it might be I do it to get relief. It is SO bad that during a recent visit home I actually rented a motel room and did my thing as there were a lot of people at my moms house and I simply did not have any privacy. I was on day 12 and was about to burst it hurt so bad!So my question is do any of you have any ideas on how to deal with this malady? I have discussed it with my doc who does anything he can to help me but we have exhausted every other option and he too doesn't know what to do other than stay with the enema schedule. I tell you this is really bad now and I would do anything to get some relief.I have tried all laxatives...I even took 8 extra strength Ex Lax pills over the course of 3 hours and waited but nothing happened. I have tried taking extra fiber and have included plenty of fruits and vegetables in my diet...nothing. I am lactose intolerant so I tried drinking milk, even a cup of evaporated milk....nothing. Doc prescribed every laxative they carry but all to no avail. One just got me dizzy as hell but still no relief!Any ideas out there? I guess I can stick with the enemas but from what I have read in the past and what doc has told me I am washing out vital bacteria that I need to have in my digestive system for good health but since he is out of ideas, he is telling me to stick with it as well. Help please!!! My gut is busting as I am again trying to do the evaporated milk route sitting her sick to my stomach but 8 hours after ingesting it nothing is going on. What I wouldn't give to have regularity.....

I feel pretty bad for you there. I can tell you what I think from my experience with pain killers. I was prescribed some norcos for my wisdom tooth pain while waiting for my surgery date. I was taking them when I felt a headache and some tooth pain and it would really knock all the pain out and give me a slightly buzzed feeling which felt nice.

I would only take 1 a day, generally at night at home before bed after dinner. Around the 3rd or 4th night I had one of the worst pains I had ever felt. I thought it might have been a heart attack or something because it was hard for me to breathe that night and my left arm felt almost numb. After being able to talk it out and come to my senses that this odd-pain was not a hardattack and maybe bad indigestion or something I went and picked up Pepto Bismol and Antacids (this is all before i was diagnosed poz btw...i know some people can't take antacids with their meds...) I took them that night and tried to forget that pain I was in and just went to sleep. I woke up the next day still feeling the slight oddness in my arm and pain and realized I hadn't gone to the bathroom in like 2 days.....the pain killers....then I remember reading that constipation is a common side effect of the pain killers.... Well I stopped taking them that day and by that night I had one of the largest movements probably of my whole life...

My advice is try to get off those pain killers....a very common side effect is extreme constipation....look it up

Ask your physician for a prescription for lactulose. It's the mother of all laxatives. Not only will your current problem be resolved within about eight hours, lactulose is completely safe and can be taken for decades without harm. In Europe lactulose is sold OTC.

Short of taking a couple slugs of lactulose, you can try psyllium fiber pills (aka Metamucil, but get the generic). Psyllium fiber generally works well. The down side is that a daily dose is six pills, it takes at least two days to work, and, since your constipation is caused by the painkillers, psyllium fiber may not be effective.

Do you go to a pain management clinic? The agony you describe sounds dreadful. Has there been any discussion about changing or even temporarily stopping your pain meds?

Are you also trying alternative therapies? I know after ten years you have likely tried everything, but maybe some of them might be worth a revisit on occasion, if only to give your body the rest from the powerful pain meds that are messing up your digestive system (which we both know they do). It sounds hokey to even mention them, but hypnotherapy, acupressure, acupuncture, medicinal marijuana and other forms of therapy might supplement, augment, and on occasion even replace some of the pain meds and lot you get SOME relief SOMETIME.

I truly sympathize with you here, and wish I knew more about pain management and digestive issues (which I imagine would be a common problem but have highly individualized solutions). But I am sorry to hear that you are having this issue, and hope that you find something to relieve it.

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Yes, citrate of magnesium. It's in any store with a pharmacy, by the laxatives. It's a liquid you drink. It's not very palatable, and I believe some people may mix it with a bit of 7-up or something. But, be by a bathroom when you drink it. They used to use it for people who were preparing for colonoscopies. Really, if you are having that difficult of a time, give it a try. Just hold your nose when drinking it, unless you like syrup-y citrus stuff.

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I've never killed anyone, but I frequently get satisfaction reading the obituary notices.-Clarence Darrow

Hello all and much thanks for taking the time to respond and offer your ideas.I have tried EVERYTHING that has been mentioned above! Every single idea has not worked at all.I too have tried to take a break from the pain killers but on the second/third day I had withdrawals so severe I thought I was going to die in addition to the crippling pain I was having. That at this time is not an option whatsoever. As much as I hate taking them, I have to to even get out of bed in the morning. I am in no way exaggerating the amount of pain I experience if I do not take these killer pain pills. As much as I hate the day I decided to start taking them (through a pain management clinic I might add) without them I would probably kill myself the pain is so intense. I just don't know what else to do and neither does my doctor or the director of the pain management department of my HIV clinic. I will continue to drink a ton and I mean A TON of water and will keep doing the enemas as this is the only relief I can come up with at this time. As messy and nasty as the process is it is the ONLY thing that brings me relief. You cannot imagine the feeling I have once I am able to clean myself out....I actually smile and am able to let out a good laugh I feel so good!!BTW, the pain management specialist prescribed me the ....can't recall the drink and pills one take prior to having a colonoscopy and my insurance picked up the massive cost for two months then denied paying because I was not following up with the procedure. I personally spoke to my insurance company and was told they would not cover it again unless I had a colonoscopy which I have had done twice in the past. They too could not offer any alternatives to my malady so I am on my own with this one!Again as always thanks all for your concern and suggestions. Whenever I have issues I come on post my questions and in no time I am flooded with helpful answers. All help is much appreciated and the kindness, compassion and concern is something I genuinely appreciate!Good day all....

I am on pain management, and sometimes if it's been a few days since having a bowel movement, I won't take the night pill. By the morning, I'm able to have one, then take my morning pill. There's slight withdrawal, but only slightly, and of course once I take the morning pain pill, it goes away within an hour. You may want to try this.

Also, you've tried the citrate of magnesium? It's what they used to give for colonoscopies. They use something different now, but if you haven't tried the citrate, try it.

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I've never killed anyone, but I frequently get satisfaction reading the obituary notices.-Clarence Darrow

Just my two cents, not sure its helpful but please don't take offense Im just saying what works for me. When I stay in high altitude towns I get constipated. No pills seem to help. The only things that have worked include: 1) enemas. Any yeah - not easy to find the privacy to do this.2) squatting - turkish style toilets. in fact: enema + squatting.3) (sorry) - poppers and butt sex (clean out the rectum, and with the excitement sometimes the colon finally gets moving)

This works for a week or two.

i can't imagine how uncomfortable you must be putting up with this as routine reality...

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“From each, according to his ability; to each, according to his need” 1875 K Marx